A New Princess
by Fanfictioner404
Summary: Like Queen Eadlyn before him, Prince Theo will have a Selection to appease the country. Will he come out with a ring on his finger? Or will there be heartbreak? SYOC OPEN 17/20 taken. Time is running out to submit your girl!
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1- Prince Theo_

My mother, the queen of Illéa, was standing at my door. "Theo, your father and I want to talk to you. Can you let us in?" Sigh. Whenever my parents wanted to talk to me, it was probably really important, considering that they were the king and queen and didn't have a lot of time on their hands. I opened the door. They walked in, graceful as ever, and sat on the foot of my bed. My father quietly told my valet (and friend), Felix, "You are dismissed." What could be so important that my valet couldn't even hear it?

"Theo, the country is in a state of unrest right now. We want to provide the country with a source of happiness and hope in a time of turmoil." Wow. The words just came to her? My dad chimed in, "Yes. And we think you are the perfect person to help us out." Me? How would I help my mom and dad do the biggest job in the country?

"We want you to have a Selection," they said in perfect unison. Wait, what? "But Mom," I whined like a little kid. "I don't know if I'm ready to get married yet. I'm only eighteen! Besides, how am I supposed to choose a wife out of thirty-five girls? That's a lot of girls, not to mention that I have no dating experience whatsoever." It was true. Despite being declared one of the handsomest men in Illéa, I had never had a girlfriend. "We thought you'd say that," my dad interjected. "So we'll allow you to have only twenty girls in the Selection and you can finish it without being married at the end." I eyed them warily. There had to be a catch coming in this little deal. "We just ask that you keep the Selection going for a few months while your father and I listen to the grievances of the country and try to fix them." I thought this was a reasonable catch. "Okay, I'll do it." My parents exchanged smiles quickly then looked back at me. "But if I do fall in love with one of these girls, you have to promise me that you'll let me marry her, even if she's from a lower caste." My father opened his mouth to object, but my mother, face set, said, "Deal." I chuckled quietly. Mom had won; Dad loved her so dearly that he gave her everything (within reason, of course). "Don't forget the _Report_ tomorrow, son; prepare your answers for questions relating to the Selection." My dad clapped me on the back and left. I had inherited his long, lanky frame, but other than that I looked very much like my mother, having inherited her dark brown hair and startling blue-green eyes. Some people even said we had the same nose and chin. She gave me a proud, loving smile and left my room. The thing I still don't get about my parents is how they can be so graceful and poised all the time when they have a country to run and two kids; me and my sister Callie, who is fifteen and probably awaiting her own Selection in a few years, now that I think about it. The strange thing is, I can remember when she was born. The whole country was rejoicing, and I wasn't very happy because I wasn't getting any attention from my parents, who were cooing over the newborn Callie. Well, I guess I would be getting the attention now, being the prize in a Selection and all.

Felix came back in. "Time to get dressed for the _Report_ , sir." I sighed. It was hard to get suits to fit me because I was as tall and slim as a piece of Silly Putty stretched out. There were a few that fit after being extensively altered, and they did fine for the _Report_. I just realized how many more suits I'd have to get to fit and be somewhat comfortable during the Selection. I huffed in frustration as I picked out my favorite suit, a three-piece navy suit with a black tie. I threw it on and tried not to run too fast to the studio, not wanting to look sweaty during the show.

"Oh, there you are, Your Highness. We're on in ten minutes!" a woman with garishly dyed red hair said frantically. She was Emili Nixon, the host for the _Report_. She would be the one to grill me… on the questions I had forgotten to practice! Well, no time now. I'd have to wing it and use my natural charismatic abilities to miraculously make up properly princely answers to Emili's questions.

"On in three… two… one… " Here goes nothing.

"Welcome Illéa to your Weekly _Report_! I'm Emili Nixon, your host, and let's get started with the low-down on the country. Then, Prince Theodore has a very special announcement for the country!" I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes and instead plastered a grin onto my face. "And now we have Queen Miranda on the stage to talk about the new recreational program for Fives and below. The stage is all yours, Your Majesty." My mom walked up to the stand. "Thank you Emili. During my Selection, my philanthropy project was to fund after-school clubs and activities for lower-caste children who may not have the money to do them otherwise…" I stopped listening. Mom had told me about her plan beforehand, and I thought it was awesome. You could really tell that she was passionate about this, and she didn't have to pretend to smile as she thought about all the kids she could help.

Before I knew it, Mom left the stage to a rigorous round of applause and I was next on the chopping block. I walked over to the comfortable interview chairs, one for me and one for Emili. I took an inconspicuous deep breath.

"So Prince Theodore, what's your special announcement to the country this evening?" I injected some fun into my smile, making it seem like good news, and (hopefully confidently) said, "It is my great honor to announce that I will be hosting a Selection." Emili almost jumped out of her seat with excitement. "Oooh! And what are the guidelines?" Whew. This was easy. My father had told me this. "Five provinces will be drawn at random. These lucky five will have the privilege of submitting both a young lady into my Selection and a young gentleman into Princess Calliope's Selection a few years down the road." At this, the group of advisors and governors in the audience started whispering excitedly amongst themselves. I just plowed on. "Fifteen of the thirty other provinces will provide a young lady for my Selection, and the other fifteen will provide a young gentleman for Princess Calliope's Selection later. That adds up to twenty girls in my Selection."

"Tell me, Prince Theodore, why did you choose to have only twenty girls in your Selection, rather than the usual thirty-five that your predecessors had?" Oh, good. This was easy. "I just wanted to reduce stress on myself and my sister," I said, smiling at her. She smiled back and winked. Ugh, she's a lifesaver sometimes. "I'm sure the girl I'm meant to be with will show up in the pool somehow," I said, trying to joke away some of the tension. Luckily, Emili seemed to think it was funny and chuckled, getting the rest of Illéa to chuckle along with her. "I actually have the drawing ready, if you want to hear the lucky provinces now, Illéa." Felix came in with a glass bowl with all the provinces written on them. "Would you like to help me?" I asked Callie. "Of course," she said with a playful grin, her bright blue eyes alight with humor. "You first, my lady," I said gallantly. She giggled, then reached into the bowl. "The first lucky province is… Whites!" She fished around for a while until she pulled out the next one. "Next we have… Panama! Your turn. I can't pick everything for you!" I didn't have to fake that smile. "The third province is… Hudson!" I chose a different tactic and plucked the one right on top. "The fourth is… St. George!" Wow, we were picking a lot of northern provinces. "Together?" I asked Callie. She smirked and we both grabbed the same paper at once. Callie started, "The last lucky province is…" I finished. "Honduragua!" Wow, that was where Queen Amberly came from. She had to have been one of the best loved Illéan queens. Was something happening here?

"Thank you, Prince Theodore. Notices of the Selection will be sent to all single women between the ages of sixteen and twenty. Watch your mail, ladies! That's all for tonight, Illéa!" Emili finished with her usual catchphrase. The cameras switched off and I let out a huge breath I hadn't realized I had been holding.

"Great job on your responses, Theo." My dad came out of nowhere and gave me an approving look. "It sounded like you are a confident leader ready to walk life's path." I just gave him a smile. "Thanks dad." If only he knew. I managed to hold in my laughter until I got to my room.


	2. Chapter 2

A _/N: Please pm me with your SYOC. If you are a guest, you can post your character in a review. I would prefer if you pm'd can use any form, but the more information there is, the better your character will fare. Shout out to Smiley for being my first ever reviewer! Thank you!_

 _Chapter 2- Princess Calliope_

When I first heard that Theo was having a Selection to appease the population, I wanted to laugh, but I knew it would be mean. Despite the fact that he asked Mom and Dad to let him walk away from the Selection without a wife, I had a feeling that one way or another, he'd be coming out of this with a wife. Hopefully they'll love each other. I want that for me. I had mentally let out a huge breath during the _Report_ , hearing of my own Selection a few years down the road. The last thing I wanted was to marry some foreign stranger that I didn't even know just to help international affairs. Luckily, my parents seemed to think the same way. I would be choosing my own husband, that's for sure.

After leaving the studio, I glanced around furtively, looking for stray guards or maids that might notice my movements or my absence. No one. I tried to walk as casually as I could to the palace grounds, but inside, my stomach was turning in circles. I walked through the wooden pool gate, avoiding the spot where I had gotten a splinter a few years back. I found my favorite lightning green practice suit sitting right where I knew it would be, along with my silver silicone cap and blue goggles. I changed as quickly as I could, and then walked over to the Olympic-sized pool. I practiced my starts first, like I always did. I made sure to arch my back on the backstroke starts, remembering what my coach had told me. Well, I'm not exactly sure if he was even my coach, really. His name was Asher and he was the same age as me. We had a lot in common, except that he could outwardly pursue his swimming career, while I had to do it in secret. His father was a Two, one of my father's advisors. None of them knew about this. My dad would say that it's not fit for a princess and I can't have man-arms. Sigh. Where was Asher, anyway? He was late.

Speak of the devil, the gate opened and Asher stepped through. He was almost as tall as Theo, which is saying something, with Theo being 6'6 and all. He had dark hair and blue eyes, like the pool. "Hey, Callie. Sorry I'm late." Asher said. He seemed on edge. That was weird. He seemed to shake it off, though, and he jumped in with his suit on. "Asher, are you all right?" He just looked at me, and I couldn't read his expression. It was really intense. "Yeah, yeah." Well, if he wasn't going to tell me what was wrong, I wouldn't ask. "Good." I just started swimming, working on _forward_ instead of _down_ on my butterfly. I really wanted to swim the individual medley, a mix of all the strokes. It showed your all-around potential.

Before I knew it, the alarm I had going on the pool deck went off to tell me that practice time was over and I had to transition from being a normal swimmer to a princess. Asher knew it, too, and he handed me my towel as I got out.

"Callie, wait." Asher hesitated. Boy, he was acting really weird today. "Do you really want to go through with your Selection? What if-" -he swallowed- "-you can't find love? I know you want that for yourself." I was dumbfounded. Why was he asking me about this? "Asher, this is still a ways away! I'm only fifteen, after all. I've never even kissed anybody." It was true, although I highly doubted the same for my brother.

"Let me fix that." Asher moved closer to me and suddenly, his lips met mine. It was soft and gentle, and Asher was very hesitant. I didn't know what to do, seeing as I had never kissed anyone before, and I sort of just let it happen. I can't say that I didn't enjoy it, though. I guess Asher was very attractive, and we sort of fit.

He broke it off, and gave me a long look that was a mixture of just-barely-contained excitement and oh-my-god-I-just-kissed-the-princess-of-Illéa-which-is-strictly-forbidden. I wanted to laugh, but I just gave him a grin, letting him know. _It wasn't too bad._ He gave me a playful smile and ran off.

 _A few hours later…_

"Wait, WHAT?" Elodie said excitedly. "He _kissed_ you?" I just rolled my eyes, smiling. Elodie was my best friend and also Asher's twin sister. This was going to be really awkward if it kept going. Only a few people knew about my aquatic pursuits; Elodie, Asher, and Theo. (Only because he caught me there once and he promised not to tell Mom and Dad. Besides, I have dirt on him that I can spill if he spills on me. More on that later.)

"Well… you know… how was it?" she asked, like she kind of wanted to know because I was her best friend but not really because the guy I had kissed was her twin brother. "Um, I kind of just let it happen, to be honest. That was my first kiss." Elodie sucked in a breath. "Oh. My. Gosh. You gave up your first kiss to my brother?" The way she said it made me want to laugh, and I couldn't hold it in. I started chortling. She just gave me the _I can't believe it_ look and left, probably to go grill Asher about it or something. Suddenly all the humor left me as I realized the gravity of what was going on. Asher could be killed for this, and I could lose my dignity thanks to the media. I liked Asher, but he was going to have to enter my Selection for this to work out. Sigh. I was ready to start exploring, but tradition wasn't. _But what if he got Selected?_ I decided to run my day on the rest of that thought.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: We have our first girl! Thank you Smiley! If you have been reading this, please do me the honor of submitting a girl. Remember, the more information there is, the better your character will fare! Also, please review! It makes my day!_

 _Chapter 3- Asher Wallace_

I ran at top speed away from anywhere Elodie and Callie might be and towards my room in the palace. After I had left the pool, I had realized the consequences of my actions. Ugh. Callie probably hated me for ruining our friendship or whatever. Girls were so confusing, Elodie in particular. She always wanted to watch this weird show, _Illéa's Next Top Model_. It was kind of like the Selection, except more intense. The Selection. I'll never get to be with her anyway because of that stupid tradition. Even if I put my name in, I probably would never get picked and if I did, the media would blow up about a guy who already lived in the palace getting into the Selection, like how Kile Woodwork got into Queen Eadlyn's Selection. _But you know what,_ I thought, _let's just let myself enjoy this moment. You just kissed the girl you have a massive crush on!_ I flopped back onto my bed and let the stupid smile happen.

I had come across Callie when my dad got a job at the palace advising King Charles. I had always loved the sport of swimming, and I watched the Olympics every year they happened. New Asia and Illéa had an intense but friendly rivalry in swimming. I thought back to the day I had met Callie. We were thirteen.

 _I trod down the steps to the palace grounds, looking carefully at the map my father had given me of the palace so I wouldn't get lost. It wasn't every day your father got a job and moved across the country from Clermont to Angeles, to live at the palace, no less. I was looking for the Olympic-sized pool Dad had promised me the palace had. There it was on the map. I followed the path, getting more and more excited as the map dictated my increasing proximity to something I had always wanted to be in my whole life. Finally I looked up from the map, and I saw it. In all of its glory._

 _The pool was perfect, a clear shade of blue. It had ten pristine blocks, flags cut to perfect triangles, and the water was almost perfectly calm, except for… someone was already there! Crap. Was I allowed here? It looked like a girl, about my age, maybe a bit older. She was probably just the daughter of some other advisor or something. I decided to keep going, because nothing was going to keep me from an Olympic-sized pool, not even someone else in it. I pulled off my shirt, getting ready to jump in as I tried to put on my goggles at the same time. The girl gave me a suspicious look. She had a green suit with lightning bolts on it and a silver cap. By the little pieces of her hair sticking out at the bottom of her cap, I could tell she had blonde hair. Her narrowed eyes were startlingly blue._

" _Who are you?" she asked me, with a challenge in her voice. Hang on, there was something familiar about her voice. "I'm Asher," I said, backing away. She had a rather fiery personality. "I'm just here to check out the pool." It was true. I had been hoping to get some laps in and try those temptingly perfect blocks. "Well, go right ahead." She pushed off the wall, leaving me in the dust. Boy, she had a great breaststroke kick. If she could just make her pull more powerful…_

 _I stroked up to her. "Wait!" She stopped and gave me the death glare. "What do you want?" Undeterred, I said, "I can make that breaststroke kick into a powerful and fast stroke. What do you think?" The girl's eyes widened. I could tell she was interested. "Okay," she said, carefully. Now I had to get her name. Now that I looked at her, she was really pretty. "Um, what's your name?" Smooth, Asher. Real smooth. She turned to face me. She seemed to have a rather lengthy internal battle with herself. The girl came to a decision. "I'm Calliope, but you can call me Callie." Wait, what? She was the princess? Oh, dear Lord. Had I said anything rude to her? I opened my mouth to say something, but she had already slipped away like a fish with a mischievous grin. I grinned. I was starting to like this girl, even though she was the princess of Illéa._

Now Callie had grown up a bit, both mentally and physically. She had become even more intelligent and beautiful than when I had met her when we were thirteen. I wanted to delve into a fantasy, but a sharp knock at the door followed by the turning of the knob jolted me out. Crap! It was Elodie. I should have known this would happen. Callie is best friends with Elodie, so of course she would know by now what happened on the pool deck. I hastened to my closet, which was admittedly large and shut the door, fumbling with the lock. (Why closets have locks, I will never know.) "ASHER!" Yep, she definitely knew. I really hadn't thought this through, and I knew it would have to come out in a talk sooner or later, because despite the large size of the palace, Elodie always seemed to know where I was. Maybe it was a twin thing or something. "Asher, I know you're in here," Elodie said, rapping the door to my closet smartly with her knuckles. I didn't answer. "You don't want to talk? Jeez, was it really that bad?" I balled my fists. She knew exactly how to get to me. "No, it wasn't." I had a sudden idea. "Does she think so too?" I had to know. Elodie chuckled. "No, it's okay Ash, she liked it too." YESYESYESYES! I decided to come out. Elodie just gave me a measured look and said "I didn't know you had a thing for the princess of Illéa, who will have a Selection in a few years. You might want to start preparing your form now." Yep, Frustrating Elodie was back.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Hi guys! Many of you have asked for a form, so it's posted at the end of this chapter. Please submit your character! Without further ado, here is the chapter._

 _Chapter 4- Camilla Jaylin_

The hot Zuni sun sweltered on my face. I impatiently wiped the sweat off with the back of my hand as I focused on the girl in front of me. The butterfly wings arched past her eyes, giving her the look of a cat and butterfly in one. I meticulously looked for any spots that needed touch-ups, and added a spot of color here or there. Finally done, I gave the girl the hand mirror I always gave to my customers. She squealed in excitement. "Oh my gosh this is so cool!" I smiled. This was my favorite part about running a face painting stand, even as a Five. It wasn't exactly everyone's dream job, but I loved making younger kids smile. The girl, maybe about seven years old, looked up at me and said, "Thank you!" and ran toward her mom, who was waiting for her. Now was one of the best times for business because it was Spring Fair season, and everyone was in a festive mood. My dad and my older sister, Charity, were probably performing somewhere nearby; everyone in the town loved my dad's jazzy piano tunes and my sister's soulful voice. They were a common duet known as Duke and Cherry Spice Jaylin. Despite their local fame, my family, along with my mom and my younger brother Connor, was just able to scrape by every time rent was due. But everyone in my family had big dreams, for themselves and for one another. I believed that something good would happen if we kept dreaming.

I decided to close up for the day, because the butterfly/cat-faced girl was close to the end of my hours. I packed up the stand I had started at fourteen years old to support my family. I had become a huge help to help feed my family, and that was something I was proud to have been able to have done. Twos may have comfort, but something tells me they don't have the close-knit connection that my family had, and I wouldn't trade comfort for that any day. I walked the short way home, admiring the Zuni sunset like I always did. Charity and Dad were already home, and Mom and Connor were already setting dinner on the outdoor picnic table we always ate at during the summer. Tonight it was pasta with squash from Mom's garden and chicken, one of my favorites. They all seemed to look at me as we started to eat. Boy, Mom had gotten good squash this year. As Charity finished her last bite (she was always the slowest eater) Mom produced an envelope, which she handed to me. "Mail for you, Milly." Mail? I pretty much never got mail. As I started to open the envelope, Dad said, "Katherine-" But my mom just shushed him and motioned for me to keep opening it.

The prince was having a Selection, the letter said. And apparently, my family wanted me to enter. I looked up at them all, and they were looking at me expectantly. I wanted to laugh. "So, the Selection." I started cautiously. Dad was the first to break the silence. "It could elevate you out of this caste, Milly. It could help us all achieve our dreams. You don't have to marry the prince if you don't love him." Something about his deep, gentle voice lulled away any concerns. Charity said, "Oh, please, Milly, I would love it if you entered! I'm too old, but if you get in, I want to hear everything! The dresses, the food, the jewels… even the prince!" I giggled. Charity was a bit of a diva sometimes. Finally, I looked at Connor, and I was sold. He wanted to be an animator more than anything, and he was stuck in the life of a Five. Maybe I could use my Selection money to help him out of this and get him an internship somewhere.

"Alright, I'll enter!" I said. Mom gave me a proud, gentle smile, and handed me a pen. I began to fill out the form with my family, Charity interjecting here and there about what she thought I should put on the form, and so on.

 _Name: Camilla Jaylin_

 _Province: Zuni_

 _Caste: 5_

 _Age: 18_

 _Height: 5'6_

 _Weight: 57 kg_

 _Hair color: Black_

 _Eye color: Brown_

 _Skin color: Tan with freckles_

I kept filling out the different parts of the form until the night was beginning to fall. I thought the Zuni night was just as pretty as the sunset, with stars dotted all over the dark blue sky. We had to go inside, seeing as the mosquitoes were starting to get to us. I was the worst mosquito magnet out of anyone in the family, and I usually had at least two bites. They never seemed to go away. Oh, well. Maybe there wouldn't be as many mosquitoes in Angeles. But first I had to get Selected. I flopped on my bed in my shared room with Charity and began to daydream about getting into the Selection and earning big money for my family. I was so ready to help them. My daydreams somehow morphed into real dreams, and I fell asleep on dreams of the palace.

 _Hi again- here's the form, and thanks to Smiley for Milly!_

 _Name:_

 _Age:_

 _Occupation:_

 _Caste:_

 _Province:_

 _Appearance (please be detailed):_

 _History (lots here if you want your character to stay longer):_

 _Personality:_

 _Thoughts on the royal family(especially Prince Theo):_

 _Reason for entering the Selection:_

 _Family:_

 _Likes/dislikes:_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: I'm really happy with all the wonderful characters I'm getting… thank you to my creators/reviewers: Smiley, Guest 1, Guest, Reading83, and DauntlessThreeRavens! There are five girls now (I have a lot of writing to do) and you will see all their POV's. SYOC update: Zuni, Belcourt, Honduragua, Fennley, and Kent are taken. Four lucky provinces are left (Whites, Panama, Hudson, St. George)! I am also needing a bit more caste diversity; four of the five girls are Fives, and the other is a Four. If you could make your girl one of the other castes (even Ones and Eights are allowed, just not too many) that would be great!_

 _Chapter 5- Jennifer Andrews_

I sat in front of the mirror, watching my sister Mary carefully braid my hair into my regular fishtail braid. She had become so good at it, and I wouldn't have anyone else do my hair, even though she was only twelve. It held in place all day, but it didn't hurt my scalp. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, twisting a piece of my strawberry blonde hair around my finger and watching my own hazel eyes. I had a slight tan from working on the farm and lots of freckles on my cheeks. Mary's fingers brushed lightly over the small scar on my forehead I had gotten by falling on a pile of firewood while playing tag with my best friend, Kathryn, back when we were seven. I had met her when we were six and we became friends fast, despite her being a Three and me being a Four. Even though we were both nineteen now, the friendship had held. Kathryn had fallen in love on a vacation last year and gotten married seven months later. Seeing her happily married, I had begun to want that too, for my happiness and for my family's.

"Done, Jenny!" Mary smiled at me. I grinned as I fingered the braid. "Beautiful as always!" I told her. She gave me a big grin and then playfully pushed me out of the chair so she could do her own hair. I hoped I could be the best big sister ever when I was around her.

Pushing the rather battered screen door open, I took in the beautiful landscape. The stumpy little potato plants were what we mostly grew. They tasted delicious in Grandma Rose's au gratin potatoes on holidays. We also grew a few fields of wheat, which was a bit taller and swayed beautifully in the wind. After scanning the fields, I spotted my mom and dad in one of the wheat fields. They always worked in the same field because they loved each other too much to be separated for several hours. Or at least that's what they had told me when I was eight years old, when I had started learning to work on the farm. I didn't start actually working until I was ten. I took on even more work when I was seventeen because my older brother, Scott, got married. Now he's a real estate agent. His wife, Zoey, was a Five by birth and now she's a jeweler, having married up a caste. They were visiting the farm this week with their daughter, Bella, who just learned to walk! I was happy to see Scott married as well; he had always been there for me.

I waded my way through the potato plants to the wheat, where my parents were working. "Oh, there you are Jenny!" My father smiled at me. "Where have you been?" Mom said, "The potatoes need to be tended to, dear." I winked at them and said, "You got it!" like I did every day. I walked through rows and rows of the delicious plants, doing what my parents had asked. To entertain myself, I thought through my history.

I was born in Calgary, farther north, when Grandpa Jimmy and Grandma Rose owned the farm. My parents had met when my mom, Amanda, went on a vacation to Calgary, and she got a job at a restaurant where my father, Carson, was a head chef. His dinners were divine. They worked together for two years before they had Scott, then me a year later. I had faint memories of my four years of life in Calgary; I remember my friend Amy. I was sad to leave her when Grandpa Jimmy lost his battle with cancer and we had to move to Belcourt to inherit the farm. Weeding the rows rhythmically, I remembered when we had almost lost Grandma Rose, too. Heart problems ran in her family and she had had a major heart problem that required major surgery. Luckily, we had just enough money and the surgery worked. I recalled how relieved I was to hear that the surgery was successful; Grandma Rose had taught me to play the piano, being a Five by birth, and she was the best grandmother anyone could ever have.

Grandma Rose herself was walking with a smile towards me. I stood up, brushing the dirt off on my overalls. "Jenny, it's time for lunch!" I smiled, with the dimples I had inherited from her. "Lucky for you I just finished." After her surgery, she walked much faster than you might think. She was pretty young for a grandmother, having had my mother at nineteen.

As I walked through the screen door, I smelled the wonderful pasta that she had undoubtedly whipped up. Yum! I sat down eagerly, and realized there was something funny about the way the bowl was sitting on the tablecloth. I lifted the bowl up, and saw the best piece of mail I had ever gotten. I knew immediately, having heard the royal family mention Prince Theodore's upcoming Selection on the _Report_ last Friday. Still eating pasta, I grabbed a pen from the small jar on the counter and started filling out the form. I could get a higher caste and maybe become a teacher while sending much-needed money home. Plus I could get to know the kind, cute prince and maybe fall in love! It was so perfect an opportunity I couldn't believe it.

 _Name: Jennifer Andrews_

 _Province: Belcourt_

 _Caste: 4_

 _Age: 19_

 _Height: 5'7_

 _Weight: 61 kg_

 _Hair color: Strawberry blonde_

 _Eye color: Hazel_

 _Skin color: Slightly tan with freckles_

It felt like on and on, listing lots of characteristics, before I reached the bottom. I licked the envelope closed and finished munching on Grandma Rose's delicious alfredo. I looked up to see Zoey trying not to laugh. My mouth was full, so I just gave her the look that said, _You're driving me to the Province Office._ She took her keys out of her pocket and walked out the door. After hastily changing into a kind of nice dress and cleaning up, I ran out the door and jumped into Scott's red pickup. As she started the car, I felt like I was starting the next phase of my life.

 _Well what do you think? Shout out to Guest 1 for Jenny! I will have next update soon-sorry about the long time between chapters before. Bye!_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: To make up for my long absence, I will do probably a chapter a day until I run out of girls. Keep submitting your girls! I love writing about them. You can do more than one if you want even if you have already submitted one. There are still 13 spots left! Non-lucky provinces taken: Zuni, Belcourt, Fennley, Kent. LUCKY PROVINCES OPEN: Panama (2), Hudson (2), St. George (2), Honduragua (1) These are top priority! I will switch provinces if I need to. Castes open: Ones/Eights (not too many of these please), Twos, Threes (already two), Fours (there is already one), Sixes, and Sevens. Thank you for reading and a review or SYOC would make my day!_

 _Chapter 6- Adalyne White_

Being a Five, music was my life. Even if I didn't love it in the first place, it would still be what I would have to take on as a profession, with the limitations of the caste system. I still can't say that I mind, though. Poetry, music, the outdoors (despite the huge air pollution problem here in Honduragua), dressing up, being with friends, helping out kids- the small things in life were what gave me the best feeling in the pit of my stomach. But sometimes, being a musician was tough. My job was to sing and play the piano to entertain the upper castes at their parties. This week especially, it had seemed like every Two or Three in town had to throw a party. I had been to six parties today. _Six!_ That had to be some kind of record. I could only stay for about an hour at each and I had hurriedly ate a rather small lunch while running from the third to fourth event. Another day like this, and I would lose my voice-and a main source of income. I had to help set up and clean up events, clean and garden for upper castes, and sell my photography and poems just to make ends meet for me and my dad. My mom had died of a rare disease when I was five.

I kept walking home, feeling the ache of a long day. Luckily it was Friday, and I could watch a little bit of TV. This was normal; I worked from sunrise to late at night, taking any job I could find. Whenever I did make a little extra money, I used it to get food or other necessities for castes below me. If my mom had taught me anything, it was to keep an open mind and help those who are less fortunate than you. If I couldn't give them anything, I stood up for Sixes, Sevens, and sometimes Eights who were being bullied or even hurt. Sometimes I think people don't recognize my caste because I can keep a calm face even under serious and stressful situations.

I finally walked home, opening the creaky green door to the white house. I crossed over the threshold and saw the lonely photo of my mother sitting on the side wall. I looked at her through the cracked glass. My dad had thrown it the day my mom had died. I had inherited a lot of her; the same auburn hair and specks of her green eyes in my gray-blue ones. I had her rosy cheeks and full pink lips, as well as the same nose, but mine was a little larger. Tearing my eyes away from the photo, I picked up the worn letters that sat beside it from my mom. She had written them to my dad and I when the doctor told her she had a month to live.

 _Dearest Aaron,_

 _I cannot be in your life, or Addy's, much longer. The doctor tells me my brain will begin to break down, and so I just want you to know that I love you. I always will, even after death. Never forget that, even if you find another woman to fill the hole I will leave. I don't know how to express everything that will not happen in our life together in one small letter- I only hope that you will find solace in Addy. She and you are the greatest things that ever happened to me. I hope, that if I make it into heaven, I will be able to partake in some of the joy of raising her, even if you can't see or hear me. I will love you forever, and it would make me happy to know that I will see you and Addy some years later, when we are all in heaven. Goodbye, my dearest, and I will always love you._

 _Rosanne_

 _To Addy-_

 _Mommy will be going to heaven soon. Just remember, my sweet girl, that before you know it, we will be together again, and looking over the Earth, lying on cotton-candy clouds made of delicious blue cotton-candy, your favorite. I will always love you, and never forget to open yourself to life and help those who are less fortunate than you._

 _Love,_

 _Mom_

I blinked away tears as I set them down again. I had to remain calm, because if I let my emotions spill in front of the world, I would never be able to heal this wound. Something inside my father had snapped when my mother died, and he became violent and abusive towards me. He also refused to work and I shouldered the income. But I had to keep it to myself and always remember never to do this to my own children if I had any. I sighed and set down the mementos. I flopped on the couch and turned on the TV. Since it was Friday, it was time for the _Report_ and I needed a distraction. Grabbing some dinner from the fridge, I settled in. I watched all the national updates idly, about foreign relations and that kind of thing. As I watched Queen Miranda make some announcements, I realized she was so calm and collected. It must be stressful, being the queen of Illéa. I admired her. On the other hand, I thought the king was a bit too strict. I hoped not to get on their bad side. As they started talking about the prince's Selection, they announced that five lucky provinces would get to submit two girls. Two girls?! Maybe I could actually get in… the prince seemed gentlemanly and handsome, if a bit scared. Plus, I could earn money to send home for later and get away from my father for a bit. He was drawing the five provinces now with Princess Calliope… I didn't know much about her. I hoped if I got Selected, I could get along with her. I had never had a sibling myself. One by one, they announced Whites, Panama, Hudson, and St. George. I closed my eyes, hoping to hear the province I was in…

"Honduragua!" I let out my breath. No way! I guess hope really does fuel your dreams. Now I just had to enter. I went straight to the window where Frank, my friend and mailman, always left the mail so I could read it before my father could. He was the only one that knew what went on inside my house, and he sympathized. Sure enough, the letter was there, in thick, expensive paper. I clicked my pen.

 _Name: Adalyne White_

 _Province: Honduragua_

 _Caste: 5_

 _Age: 17_

 _Height: 5'4_

 _Weight: 53 kg_

 _Hair color: Auburn_

 _Eye color: Blue-grey_

 _Skin color: Light_

I thought carefully before each response. I had to get in. It could give me everything I needed and wanted. Licking the envelope sealed felt like sealing this phase of my life and opening another.

 _Thanks to Reading83 for Addy-I got all your messages. :) So yes there are two girls for each lucky province- this means half the girls will be from lucky provinces! The other ten can be any province except Zuni, Belcourt, Fennley, and Kent. Thanks for reading! Quick shout-out to Smiley for reviewing, like, every single chapter! Thank you!_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Hello everyone- only ten spots left! Four more non-lucky provinces are allowed, and the rest MUST be: Honduragua (1 spot), St. George (1 spot), Hudson (2 spots), and Panama (2 spots). If you could have your girl be from one of these provinces that would be great! Castes available are: Ones (none already but limit these), Twos (one already) Threes (two already), Fours (one already), Sixes (one already), Sevens (one already), Eights (none already but limit these). Reviews and SYOC's are always appreciated! Thanks for reading!_

 _Chapter 7- Kyra Marie Williams_

Inside my own cozy little studio apartment, I lounged around in my comfy jeans and t-shirt with a blue flannel on top and my ponytail swished as I sat down on the couch. I flipped on the TV to watch the _Report_. I had always been kind of a loner- I had never really had a lasting friendship and I had moved out of my father's house recently, as soon as I had turned eighteen. He had checked out of being a good parent when my mom left. She has been climbing up and down the social ladder that is the caste system- she was born a Two, then she married down three castes to be with my father, who is a Five. When I was young, I never realized there was anything wrong with my parents' marriage. My mom would play games and run around with me after school. They started to fight more and more as I got older, and I found any excuse to escape the house, which was actually how I got my career started- I would take photos of the world around me in Fennley. When I was ten, my parents divorced, and my father didn't know that she was pregnant with my full sister, Cate, or that she was seeing a Two. Now, my mother was remarried to that Two, back to her birth caste, and back to her modeling career. I hadn't spoken to my mom since she left, but I did write Cate every week. She was the spitting image of me, as I had seen the few times I had seen her. I will always love her, even if I only know her by letters. We share a love of old movies, TV shows, and books. They help me focus while I take and edit photos. My mother and Cate lived in Angeles.

I got a big break and became a professional photographer of models, celebrities, and the like. I could tell when they were having a bad hair or makeup day, even when everyone else thought they looked impeccable. I turned my eyes toward the TV. Prince Theodore and Emili Nixon had just started talking about his upcoming Selection.

"So Prince Theodore, I hear there is a special format for this Selection, and you came up with the idea! Care to tell us more?" Emili was having a small breakout on her chin, which was covered up with concealer.

"That's correct- there will be five provinces that will submit two ladies for my Selection and two gentlemen for my sister, Princess Calliope, when she comes of age. The lucky provinces are Whites, Panama, Hudson, St. George, and Honduragua. The other ten will come from randomly drawn provinces. We will announce them on the next edition of the _Report_." I stared at his face, looking for imperfections. I didn't find any. I wasn't surprised- he was really handsome naturally, and I really liked him. If I could even get a chance to meet him, it would be the greatest moment of my life. I really wanted the kind of relationship my parents never had, and Prince Theodore was practically perfect. Even if it didn't work out, maybe I could meet some awesome new friends in the other girls or my maids. I hoped to get to know the rest of the royal family, too- to get to know them behind the façade they put up on television. I knew it was there- I had photographed too many actors to think anything else. Maybe I could even go to see Cate somehow! The palace was in Angeles, after all. If I got to photograph the prince… I had to enter the Selection just for that, if not anything else. I had been putting it off because I had been having second thoughts. What if I made a complete fool of myself and he eliminated me right away- if I even made it in! I was only a Five; I had no advantageous connections. Besides, I had all these scars on my back, arms and legs that might be ugly. But I had to try.

 _Name: Kyra Marie Williams_

 _Province: Fennley_

 _Caste: 5_

 _Age: 18_

 _Height: 5'4_

 _Weight: 55 kg_

 _Hair color: Caramel blonde_

 _Eye color: Blue-grey_

 _Skin color: Light with freckles_

I tried to be as honest as possible; I didn't want them to take me for being someone else if it turned out not to be a lottery. I sealed the envelope, turned off the TV, and locked up my apartment. I pulled out of the parking lot in my blue hatchback I had been saving for since I was fifteen and drove to the Province Office, where I saw a long line of girls snaking up and down the corner. Ugh, that reminded me of snakes- I hate them. I tried not to think about snakes and hoped I looked presentable.

After what seemed like ages, I was at the front of the line and I signed a declaration saying everything on my form was true. I stepped inside and got ready to have my photo taken. I knew exactly how to make myself look good in the photo, even without makeup. The lights were set up this way and that, and the camera flashed as I gave it a shy smile, then a grin. They could decide which one to send to the palace. The photographer waved me on and brought in a girl who had to have been a Two- she had a lot of makeup and an elaborate dress on. I just rolled my eyes- I didn't want to meet the prince if he liked girls like her who are visibly clingy. I bit my lip at the thought of the prince seeing my photo. Would he notice me, or was even that too much to hope? I hoped he would. I had weighed the pros and cons, and I wanted to meet him more than anything.

 _Thanks to DauntlessThreeRavens for Kyra! I'm really happy with all the attention this story is getting- thanks to all the followers, favorite-ers, and reviewers! You're the best! I have a favor to ask the character creators- I would love a review of the chapter where I write your girl- tell me what you think! Submitted characters and reviews make my day!_


	8. Chapter 8

A/ _N: Hi everyone- not much news on SYOC front- see previous chapter's author's note for province/caste guidelines. There are still ten spots left so please submit your character! I'm thinking about doing some king/queen POV once I run out of girls (I still have 5 to go after this one). Thanks for all the reviews, characters, and compliments to my writing! I'm really glad you're liking this._

 _Chapter 8- Cassandra Mae Riseborough_

I woke up to the sound of not-so-quiet "whispers" from outside my door. I listened carefully, still in bed. I could tell by the creak of the floor that it was my mom, Lydia, and Evie.

"But MOM, I don't think she'll want to! Oh, why can't I be old enough?" That was Lydia. She was thirteen and had strawberry blonde hair that I was SO jealous of. Mine was platinum blonde and reached my lower back. I had had a soft spot for my hair ever since my neighbors had dared me to cut it off at the shoulder with a knife when I was twelve. Since I _never_ pass up a challenge, I did it. Mom was so mad. Lydia, nine at the time, thought it was really funny that I was in trouble.

"Oh, but she has to, Lydia, can't you see? She can help us get rich and not be Fives anymore! Besides, she has to do it because _I_ can't." Evie was eleven, and had gorgeous curls that I had never had- I had to curl my hair. Wait, what would help us not be Fives anymore? I had always hated the caste system- it limited people from what they're meant to do. I was stuck playing the piano and writing songs, but I would love to be an actress, dancer, or teacher. But those were all upper-caste jobs. I sat up, rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, and opened the door to find the empty hallway. I raised my eyebrows suspiciously, but I decided to go down to breakfast. Since there were seven of us, including my parents and my older brothers, Hunter and Tanner, the dining table was rather large. I popped in a slice of toast and started to slice an avocado- it was an adventurous breakfast for an adventurous person. I suppose I was a bit of a tomboy- I loved climbing trees, and I was "extremely reckless", according to Mom. I was almost as tall as my 6'2 and 6'3 brothers, being 5'10 myself.

Then breakfast took a louder turn as the rest of my family came in. Mom was holding something behind her back, and Lydia had her "battle face" on. I narrowed my eyes at them. "What's going on? I heard you talking outside my door."

Evie couldn't contain herself. "Ha! Told you she could hear us!" Like she had had total faith in me the whole time. I struggled to keep from laughing. Lydia just rolled her eyes. "Cassie, you should totally enter the Selection! There isn't much of you actually being Selected anyway." Oh. So this is what that conversation was about. I had to make my views known on this subject. "I don't need a man to be successful in life, and the idea of competing to marry a prince is _disgusting._ " I made a face. Evie looked up at me with imploring eyes. "But you HAVE to Cassie, because I can't!" I softened a bit at this, but I kept my resolve. Mom sighed like she was resigned to something (me not entering?) and said, "Cassandra Mae Riseborough, if you don't enter I will take away those pointe shoes you're always spinning around like a top in. I won't let you eat until you enter." I gave her one last dagger look before giving in. She had me at taking away my pointe shoes. I couldn't live without those things. I stuffed the last piece of avocado toast in my mouth and reached across the table for the envelope. I got it on the third time and pulled out the form, not even bothering to read the note. I knew what it said. Mom had entered in King Charles' Selection and she somehow got in, but she was eliminated fairly soon. She never stopped talking about how she knew it would be Queen Miranda from the start. After her Selection, she was a Three, but she married my dad, who was a Five, for love, and it worked out. Whatever. I probably wouldn't even get in anyway.

 _Name: Cassandra Mae Riseborough_

 _Province: Kent_

 _Caste: 5_

 _Age: 16_

I paused. I turned seventeen the next month. "MOM!?"

"YES?!"

"AM I EVEN OLD ENOUGH TO ENTER? I'M NOT EVEN SEVENTEEN!"

"YES HONEY, SIXTEEN IS THE CUTOFF!" This was the major form of communication in our house- yelling. I shrugged and kept filling out the form.

 _Height: 5'10_

 _Weight: 64 kg_

 _Hair color: Platinum blonde_

 _Eye color: Icey blue_

 _Skin color: Pale, tans easily_

Why did they even need the stuff about my appearance? They were going to take a photo of me anyway. Well, whatever floats Mom's boat. I just didn't want to be without food or my pointe shoes. I grimaced. If I did get in, I didn't want to make a fool of myself on national television. I had like zero dating experience- unless you count the incident where I was dating Max Rizzo but I cheated on him with John Roberts when I was thirteen. Also, I'd have to wear makeup- Mom had given me permission to wear it, but I didn't like to because it covered up the real me and I just looked fake. I just gave a deep huff and looked up from it, only to find Hunter and Tanner looking over each of my shoulders. I closed my eyes in embarrassment. I had meant not to let them find out about this. "Oh, go away. I only did it so Mom wouldn't take away my pointe shoes." I pushed them both away and they started laughing. Even though there was a year's difference between them, it seemed like they were twins sometimes. They even looked almost exactly alike. "Okay okay, Cassie." Hunter said. He was more chill than Tanner, who was still laughing a little. "Tan, you're giving Cassie a ride to the Province office." He stopped laughing at once. He just grabbed his car keys and gave me a mischievous grin. He wasn't done with me yet, and I knew it.

As we both got into the car, Tanner said, "So Cassie, once you make it to the palace you've gotta send me something, like a bit of the palace dirt or something." _Or, I could give you something else._ "How about a palace toilet seat? I bet they're five-star quality." He chortled. "Just make sure you haven't used it first." I made the _gross_ face. "Hey, you were the one who brought the conversation there." I just rolled my eyes. We pulled up and before I knew it, I was there. With all the girly girls who actually wanted to do this. I frowned at them and started making my way through the line. I jumped through all the hoops, and it was done. I was entered. I rejoiced in knowing I was going to able to keep my pointe shoes and be able to eat my food.

 _Thanks to Guest for Cassie! Sorry for the time between chapters- keep reviewing and submitting your girls! I'm also thinking of creating a few filler characters if you guys don't come up with them all- because I'm going to hate eliminating all but one of your wonderful characters!_


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: So now there are 13 spots taken… for the sake of focusing the story a bit more on the characters I have, I will use some "filler" characters that can be eliminated the first day, probably about four, which leaves us with THREE SPOTS LEFT! If I get more than three I can do less filler characters. I would like at least one girl from Panama, which is the only lucky province that doesn't have an SYOC yet. Or you could do Honduragua (1 spot) or St. George (1 spot). Whites and Hudson are both filled up! Thanks for all the awesome characters and to justanothergoldengirl for your writing tip!_

 _Chapter 9- Twins?_

 _Kaitlyn Amberly Parker_

"KATY KAT KATY KAT COME DOWN HERE NOW!" Both my twin sister Kat and I came racing down the stairs. Was Kayla okay? She was one of the few things Kat and I had in common- besides being identical twins. Kat was younger than me by four minutes and quite a bit more extroverted. I preferred math, and she preferred English.

"Good God Kayla, what is it?" Kat asked. Kayla, our fifteen-year-old sister, was standing primly at the bottom of the steps and holding something behind her back. With a flourish, she revealed two matching envelopes. With the seal of Illéa on both.

"The prince is having a Selection!" Kayla squealed. I gasped. I had _completely_ forgotten! The prince was really cute, and maybe this could jumpstart my dream to teach math! I raced toward Kayla and took my envelope. I gave her a quick hug and pulled out a pen that I always carried with me. I guess it was part of being a creative person- I loved to draw and write. I _really_ wanted to get in- I knew the odds were slim, but I wanted to enter the competition to maybe find love. I didn't really need to enter for money- we were Threes and well off, but I really wanted to, well, be wanted. I looked back at Kat, who was still standing on the steps, her eyes narrowed at Kayla.

"You can't be serious. Entering a competition with a bunch of other girls to marry a prince?" She made a face. "Sounds kind of lame to me. I don't think I'll enter." She turned to go back up the stairs.

I couldn't believe it. "But Kat… please at least enter with me. Imagine if we both got Selected! Whites is one of the lucky provinces, right?" Kayla nodded, excitement alight in her eyes. "Please, Kat? I would do better at the palace if you were there with me. Plus, maybe you could get started teaching G.T. English… if you don't win!" I wiggled my eyebrows. After giving me a death glare for the last comment, Kat seemed to weigh the decision on both sides.

"Fine. But if I get in, or somehow both of us get in, don't expect me to be all romantic and stuff." I laughed in relief. I knew Kat had a reasonable side. Kayla threw Kat her envelope, and I threw her a pen. Being the athlete she was, she caught them both, something I could never do. She sat down next to me and we started filling out our separate forms.

 _Name: Kaitlyn Amberly Parker_

 _Province: Whites_

 _Caste: 3_

 _Age: 17_

 _Height: 5'5_

 _Weight: 57 kg_

 _Hair color: Light brown_

 _Eye color: Emerald green_

 _Skin color: Tan with freckles_

"Done!" I squealed to Kat. She was still hard at work on her own form, having started later than I had. I licked the envelope closed and sighed. I wanted this so badly.

 _Katherine Annalise Parker_

I still couldn't believe Katy had talked me into doing this. I definitely didn't want to be part of some competition for a prince's hand in marriage. However, I couldn't deny that my teaching career could get a start once I got eliminated. There was also a part of me that was connected to Katy because we were twins, and I couldn't ignore that. I actually didn't know what I would do without Katy around. We had been together our whole lives, even before we were born. I guess if anything, that was the real reason why I was signing up. If (and that was a big "if") we both got in, I would have to watch over Katy. I'd make sure no mean girls tried to hurt her, or even worse, the prince. I had a feeling Katy would make it far into the Selection if she got Selected. She seemed like the type of girl a prince would go for- creative, kind, and quiet. I'd love to have it over her that I knew she would fall in love with the prince once she won the Selection. Of that, I had no doubt. But first I had to get in, to see it all happen.

 _Name: Katherine Annalise Parker_

 _Province: Whites_

 _Caste: 3_

 _Age: 17_

 _Height: 5'7_

 _Weight: 59 kg_

 _Hair color: Brown_

 _Eye color: Green_

 _Skin color: Pale_

I tried to make it as simple as possible. I didn't want to outshine Katy. She was the one really going for it, after all. I just needed to be by her side and maybe earn some savings so I could teach later on. I kept filling out all the parts of the form. Finally, I finished and put my form next to Katy's by the door. I stared at the envelope. _What if?_ I wondered. Then I came to my senses. _What if what?_ I scoffed internally. Why was I even worried? I was doing this for Katy. She would get in, and if I got lucky, I could be by her side to see her finally get what she wanted- to have a relationship. I sighed. I hope this prince would treat her right. If he didn't, I don't care, prince or not, I'd punch him. Katy deserved only the best.

 _So what do you guys think of the twins? Shout out to Guest13 for submitting them! I'm going on a writing marathon for the next two days to try to get all the girls down. I've still got six to go… maybe I'll throw in some royal family POV's as well. Thanks for all your awesome suggestions and characters!_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Hi guys- keep reviewing and submitting your girls, there are only a few spots left! Here's part two of the "marathon". I'm going for a few chapters a day. I'd like to shout-out Smiley and leyton4everr for submitting TWO girls! Thank you! Hope you guys are enjoying this!_

 _Chapter 10- Ainslin Serena Black_

I turned on our high-tech television to watch the _Report_. I tended to be forgetful and not remember that it was Friday and I should watch the _Report_ , but I remembered this week- for a very important reason. I had heard tell among my wide social circle that Prince Theodore was going to have a Selection. Since I was a hopeless romantic and the palace was right here in Angeles, I had been looking forward to this edition of the _Report_ for a while now. The TV switched from the national anthem to the usual shot of the set with the royal family- King Charles, Queen Miranda, Prince Theodore, and Princess Calliope. I impatiently waited for the updates on the rebels, foreign relations, and such to finish. Finally the prince walked gracefully over to the two armchairs, one of which was filled up by Emili Nixon. She got through some meaningless stuff, then the question I wanted to hear.

"All of Illéa's young women are yearning to hear when forms will be mailed to their homes, Your Highness. Care to relieve their curiosity?" Emili pressed.

"Of course, Emili- Ladies of Illéa, I am delighted to announce that notices of my upcoming Selection will be mailed in five days if you are in the East, four if you are in the Midwest, three if you are from the North, two if you are from the South, one if you are from the Great Plains, and if you are from the West, forms are scheduled to arrive at your house today." I immediately stood up, turned off the TV, and went to go camp out by the mailbox. The mail wasn't scheduled to arrive until 4 p.m. I pulled my lounge chair to tan while I waited. I wanted a nice tan in my photo for my form. As I lounged, I thought how amazing it was that I actually had a legitimate chance at being Selected.

Both of my parents were born Sevens. I was born a Two. They worked all the way from being Sevens in Whites to being Twos in Angeles. My mother's mother had been ill for a while in Whites and she had died just before my mom found out she was pregnant with my older sister, Natasha, who was now twenty-two. My father was from Angeles and he met my mom while visiting family in Whites. They began a long-distance relationship and it was super difficult, but they pulled through and they eventually got married and started a business- a clothing line called "Black", our family name. It was my mom's dream and my dad helped her make it happen. They had worked their way through every obstacle imaginable, and now we were rich, famous Twos.

I must have dozed off at some point, because I heard the tin sound of the mailbox lid hitting the box. I sat bolt upright, knocking my chair over, and raced to the mailbox, rifling hurriedly through the mail. There it was. The heavy parchment envelope with the seal of Illéa. I walked back into our house, placing the rest of our mail on the kitchen table. I ran the envelope upstairs to my room that had a balcony. I sat down at my desk and had already written my name down in black pen when I realized that might be too boring. But I couldn't switch colors halfway through! I shook my head, refocusing. The pen color wouldn't affect anything! I was being silly.

 _Name: Ainslin Serena Black_

I paused. Would they care that most people called me Ash? My name was pronounced Ashlyn. I decided they wouldn't and kept going.

 _Province: Angeles_

 _Caste: 2_

 _Age: 19_

 _Height: 5'4_

 _Weight: 55 kg_

 _Hair color: Light brown_

 _Eye color: Dark grey_

I filled out every section, adding things here and there that I'd forgotten. I had a slight pause at "Occupation"- technically, I was unemployed. Since I wasn't the oldest, I didn't have to carry on my parents' company and I didn't even have to work if I didn't want to- I could just live on my family's money, but I didn't want to do that. I just put "Undecided" as my occupation because that's what the situation was. I finally finished and sealed up the form. Okay. Now it was time to make myself over for my photo. I took a shower, throwing in countless hair products to tame the frizz in my hair. I got out, and applied makeup while my hair dried. I carefully picked away stray hairs in my arched eyebrows, and applied gentle makeup to my jawline and high cheekbones to highlight them. I put on some mascara and a little eyeshadow to make my long eyelashes pop. With my hair dry, I straightened it and after a little debate, decided to leave it down with a poppy, the province flower, at my ear. I put on a polished sundress with light purple flowers to bring out my eyes. I looked myself over. I looked pretty good. I picked up my form and brought it to the door.

As I drove to the Province office in my Mercedes-Benz, I thought how life at the palace would be. I hoped they would have food I would like- I was the pickiest eater. Otherwise, I liked to try new things. I hoped I would like the prince and at least some of the other girls there. I couldn't wait to help my maids design new dresses and explore the new bounds of creativity that the palace offered. I pulled up into our two-car garage and after eating a quick dinner, went up to my room. Filling out the form and beautifying myself had been tiring, and I was ready to go to sleep. It was about nine o'clock- the line at the Province office had been really long. I fell asleep on dreams of dates with the prince, sleepovers with the other girls, and beautiful ballgowns.

 _Shoutout to justanothergoldengirl for Ash- she's a complicated character. I hope you guys are enjoying the girls, even if they aren't the ones you created- this is the last chapter for today. More tomorrow- promise!_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Hi readers- if I don't get any more girls today, I will make the remaining girls filler characters and close the SYOC. I don't want to have too much going on and I want the story to be focused. I already have so many awesome girls! Thanks to everyone who submitted a girl and everyone who has reviewed- it makes me really happy! Thank you!_

 _Chapter 11- Vesna Aralica_

I plopped down on my bed, exhausted. I had just finished my chores at the orphanage for the day- making breakfast, tending the gardens, and helping the younger children with their homework. I had finished school myself last year. And that was all before I went to work- I was a waitress at a restaurant on a beach, making me a Six. I was lucky I had a job, really. I was only seventeen and I could be an Eight- the orphanage had been my home since I was nine There were a lot of those in Sonage. I shared a room with Addison, my best friend, and a bunch of other girls, Wyatt, Savannah, Maya, Sabrina, Taylor, and Jessica. I had gotten closest to Addison, Wyatt, and Savannah, who were like sisters to me. Addison was sixteen, Wyatt was eight, and Savannah was three. Addison had moved into the orphanage at the same time as me and we had hit it off. I was like a big sister to Wyatt and Savannah; I read Wyatt a bedtime story every night and I had taught Savannah to walk and talk. Someday I wanted to adopt them, because they were my family now. My birth family had fallen apart when my mother died of cancer, and my father had dropped me off at the orphanage soon after we moved to Illéa from Serbia.

My thoughts were interrupted when Addison broke through the door. She was about two inches shorter than me and had white blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin with freckles. She didn't offer a greeting or anything; she just handed me an envelope and seemed to wait for my reaction. I knit my eyebrows together in confusion, but looked down at the envelope. It was addressed to her, not me.

"This isn't for me, Addi. It says it's for you, see?" I pointed at the address. She just impatiently shook her head. "You've got to open it, Ves. I don't need it."

"Okay, fine." I opened the envelope. _The recent census has confirmed that a single woman between the ages of sixteen and twenty…_ Holy crap. Is this what I thought it was? I had seen glimmers of the Selection on the TV we shared in the orphanage, but I thought I'd never get a letter. I was a nobody Six in an orphanage, after all, and so was Addison.

"But Addison, don't you want to enter?" It would be just as good of an opportunity for her as it was for me.

Addison rolled her eyes playfully. "I have a boyfriend, remember? And I have no intention of breaking up with him anytime soon…" She trailed off with a dreamy look in her eyes. I watched her happily. Maybe someday I could find love, too. The kind she had. I had never had a boyfriend- I didn't have time with all my chores and work on the beach. The prince was pretty cute, and I could tell he actually took the responsibility of running the country seriously. Plus, I could earn money to buy an apartment when I turned eighteen if I got eliminated and give Wyatt and Savannah a chance at a better life. I could also maybe pursue my dream of becoming a teacher.

"Addi, this seems too good to be true," I said, grinning. She just grinned back hopefully. "I knew you'd want to do it! Once you get in, we'll all be cheering for you here." I ran to get a pen from Susan, the orphanage director. She was like a second mother to me.

"Hey Vesna," she said. "Is there something you need?" She always knew what I was feeling- we seemed somewhat made for each other.

"Yeah, actually. I need a pen so I can fill out a form to enter the Selection." Susan raised her eyebrows. She threw me a blue pen and said, "I know the prince will love you, and don't forget your little family back in Sonage."

I smiled and said, "Not in a million years." It was true. I had lost my birth family and the other children were my family now. I raced back to my room, where I found Addison waiting.

"What are you waiting for?" Addi asked playfully. I just smiled and started writing.

 _Name: Vesna Aralica_

 _Province: Sonage_

 _Caste: 6_

 _Age: 17_

 _Height: 5'8_

 _Weight: 54 kg_

 _Hair color: Brown_

 _Eye color: Electric blue_

 _Skin color: Tanned_

I was proud to put that I could speak Albanian, Serbian, and English. English was actually my third language- I had learned it when I moved to Illéa. I finished, and Addison immediately dragged me over to the bathroom and ordered me to take a shower. I guessed this was for the picture, and I cleaned myself up as best as I could.

I got out of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel and opened the door to find Addison waiting. She pulled me toward the mirror and sat me down in a chair in front of the mirror. She went to work on my hair. Addison was a magician with my hair, although it was a bit of a sensitive point for me because my mother always used to braid my hair before I went to bed. But I let her do it, because I had to look great for my photo. Before I knew it, she had put my hair into a sweet braided half ponytail. It looked awesome.

"Thanks, Addi, this looks awesome." I stood up to leave for the Province office. I didn't really have any nice clothes to spare for the photo, so my t-shirt and jeans would have to do.

But evidently, Addison wasn't done with me yet. "Come on Ves! I have something for you." I followed her to her closet. She pulled out a purple and white flowered dress with a high-low hemline. I gasped. It was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen.

"Addi, how did you get this? I can't take this, it's yours…" Addi cut me off with, "Ethan gave it to me." Of course, Ethan was a Four.

"Come on, Ves, put it on! I want you to get in so bad!" I opened my mouth to say thank you, but she was already backing out of the room, flashing me a grin through the crack of the door as it shut. I grinned. I had the best best friend ever.

I emerged from the room, and I felt radiant. I didn't even need any makeup to feel awesome- we didn't have any money, and I felt beautiful in this dress anyway. Addison gasped. "You look AWESOME Ves! I'm so sold!"

She pulled me out the door and we started to walk to the Province office. It felt nice to be pampered for a day. Then I realized I could be pampered every day I was at the palace. I bit my lip in anticipation. I really wanted this.

 _Thanks to leyton4everrr for Vesna- writing her came really easily to me, I don't know why. Hopefully I can post another chapter today; I won't be able to write as often soon. Please review and thanks for reading!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12- Anna Larson_

"An-na! An-na!"

"Oh, I always knew Ms. Doherty's girl deserved more!"

These were just a bit of what was being shouted at me during my go-away party. I could barely believe my luck. When they had announced that me, Anna Larson, a Four, would be representing Hudson in the Selection, I just sat there numbly and tried to let it sink in. Out of all the rich girls that they could have picked, they picked me. I would actually get to meet Prince Theo. A wave of nerves fluttered through me at the thought of meeting him. He was so handsome. Why would he like a Four like me?

I snapped back to reality when Pauline hugged me. We had done so much for each other. She adopted me when I was five after I had been abandoned at an orphanage in Hudson's capital (after my father, a firefighter, was killed in a fire when I was one month old), and now I help her with the family business, a fishery. When Pauline adopted me, she gave me the last bit of my father, a charred hat that read "Clermont Fire Brigade." When I was older, Pauline had told me her story; how she had married a man named Ralph she truly loved at the age of seventeen, about his untimely death in a shipwreck. It wasn't until years later that I came into her life, and she said I was the best thing that ever happened to her. She was really the only person I could open up to; unfortunately, I was quite shy. I felt slightly queasy as I remembered that shyness is probably not a trait a future princess should have. I had harbored a bit of a crush on the prince for a while; he was my age, handsome, kind, and did I mention he was handsome?

"Are you ready to go, Anna?" Pauline asked me. I couldn't really answer. When would I be ready to leave the only place I had ever really known? I sort of gave something between a nod and a shake of the head.

"The prince will love you, I know it. You're a special young woman, Anna. I'm so proud of you." I broke into a grin and gave her a huge hug.

"Thanks, Pauline. _Mom_." She smiled. "I think I'm ready to go now." I gave her one last grin, making sure to add an excited eyebrow raise. "See you at Christmas," I said mischievously. Pauline laughed, shaking her head. "Bye, Anna. Have fun meeting your prince!"

The car pulled away from the town square. I watched Pauline's figure grow smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared, then I turned forward in my seat. _Well,_ I thought, _wouldn't this be the perfect time to daydream a bit?_ I knew the lull of the car would help, and I sank into my thoughts. I had so many questions. What would he actually be like, in the flesh? He seemed a bit shy on the _Report_ , but I knew better than anyone that people could open up and be quite different from what they seemed. I fingered my rucksack containing only my most prized possessions, most notably my father's hat. All the palace people had told me I wouldn't need to pack any clothes or toiletries or whatever, just prized possessions I wouldn't want to be traveling without. What would they have me wear at the palace? I imagined my perfect ball gown that I had dreamed of for years, a strapless blue-green floor-length gown with a sweetheart neckline and an empire waist, just like Princess Eadlyn's favorite gown, except a different color to bring out my eyes. I wondered if they would do anything to my hair or something. I liked how I looked; curly golden blonde hair, blue-green eyes, lots of freckles. I had a heart-shaped birthmark on the side of my neck, something that distinguished me. I liked to think that it meant I was going to have love in my life. I didn't want to have to cover it up, or put on copious amounts of makeup just to look like a Two, which I wasn't.

The thoughts flew through my head, chasing each other in circles, until the car stopped and my door was opened. I got out to see an airplane waiting for me, as well as two other girls whose clothes distinguished them as fellow Selected. I internally freaked out. I had sort of forgotten about the other girls. What if they didn't like me? I wasn't the most outgoing person in the world, and I might have the bad luck of not making any friends. I sighed. Maybe it was for the better, after all. Only one person was going to stay, and it would get really dramatic at the end if two good friends were the last ones left or something. I got out of the car and walked over to them, but not close enough for them to say hello to me. I got a closer look at the other girls; one had long, ramrod-straight platinum blonde hair that reached her back. It certainly made her stand out. The other girl looked quite a bit like me; blonde, curly, medium-length hair and lots of freckles.

My look-alike waved at me and gave me a small smile. My heart started pounding. _What should I do, what should I do,_ I thought nervously. I decided to smile and wave back. She began to walk over to me. The platinum-blonde girl turned and saw her walking towards me and followed suit. I took what I hoped was an inconspicuous deep breath before they met me.

"Hi, I'm Rhoma," the girl who looked like me said, "but everyone calls me Rho."

"Um, hi Rho," I said uncertainly.

"You must be in the Selection, too. Which province do you come from? I'm from Hudson."

What? I thought only one girl from each province was allowed to go. "Uh, I'm from Hudson too." A surprised grin lit up onto her face.

"Wow! So we're the two girls from the lucky province of Hudson. What's your name?"

"I'm Anna."

"Well, nice to meet you, Anna, and this is Cassie, from Kent," Rho said, gesturing to the platinum-blonde girl. Cassie gave me a five-star grin. A man in a navy suit with gold buttons came out of the plane and announced, "Ladies, if you're all here, the flight to Angeles is ready. Just the three of you, I think. It is a rather small jet, after all," he joked. The engines of the plane started to roar, and all three of us boarded the steps up to a life-changing experience.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13- Miranda Compton

"Take Lady Willow to station four, and Lady Miranda to station one."

I followed a dainty blonde-haired, blue-eyed maid to what I assumed was station one, saying goodbye to Willow, a kind seventeen-year old from Atlin who was a Four I had met on the plane since our provinces were close (I lived in Ottaro).The maid introduced herself as Heather, and we were greeted by two other maids, a redhead named Alyssa and a girl with large hazel eyes called Lily.

"Hello, Lady Miranda. We're your maids during your stay at the palace! Hopefully if you become the new princess, we can be your maids then too!" Alyssa bounced on her heels. Heather and Lily seemed frightened at her familiar words, awaiting my response.

"There's no need for 'Lady' because I've been in your position before and I have the utmost respect for you three," I told them. It was true. I had been a Six for years before my father died and my mother married a Three last year, bringing me and my brother with her. I knew exactly what the job of a Six was like. I might have been a Three, but I wasn't used to luxury.

"Really, my lady? I mean… Miranda?" Lily asked shyly.

"Yes. And I mean that," I reaffirmed. I wanted these three to be my friends. They were going to oversee everything I wore, after all. "Shall we get started, then?" I asked, gesturing to the large vanity and bathtub waiting. I saw a small smile even on shy Lily's face as she closed the curtain and I slipped into the bathtub. They rubbed my entire body with scented oils, massaging my hair with coconut-scented shampoo, and I sighed, relaxing, daydreaming about Prince Charles. Would he be everything I imagined? I was in the middle of imagining the perfect dress I would wear to meet him- lavender, with a shallow scoop neck and puff sleeves- something a princess would wear- when Heather told me gently that it was time to get out. The water had grown cold, anyway, and I put on a white fluffy robe and sat down in front of the vanity.

"While we clean you up, my lady, you can choose your signature scent from the side wall there," Heather instructed.

"Don't forget, you can call me Miranda," I reminded her with a smile. She just shook her head as she prepared what ominously looked like a waxing strip. I knew exactly what I wanted; a scent to remind me from home. I looked over jasmine, cocoa, vanilla, until my eyes fell on the perfect scent. Lavender. I had planted a few pots of lavender with my little brother, Wyatt, in the house. They wouldn't grow outside because most of Ottaro is too cold, but we enjoyed a bit of their lovely scent in the house. I confidently picked up the purple bottle from the wide selection.

"Great choice, Miranda!" Alyssa said. She started moving my dark brown wavy hair into different positions, seeming to conclude- and I agreed- that it would look awesome in an elegant medium-height bun. "If we add some lavender here…" Alyssa murmured.

"I'd love to have a lavender-themed outfit," I suggested. "It would go with my perfume, and maybe a dress I had in mind."

"If you draw it right now, we can start making it so you can wear it to meet the prince tomorrow," Lily offered. I lit up, eagerly accepting the paper and pencil and starting to draw the dress. _The_ dress. The one I had secretly imagined while watching the _Report_.

When I finished, Alyssa picked it up and gave it an approving nod. I was moved to the next station, where tiny lavender flowers were painted onto a pale lavender hue on my nails. I marveled at the detail- I could see every little dot in the lavender bloom attached to the green stem. It was beautiful. I opened my mouth to compliment Lily on her painting, but I was already moving to the next station. There, I picked out pale purple 2-inch heels- tall, but not too tall- and before I knew it, I was at the next station, then the next, then the next, until I was apparently all done. I looked around, confused, until I was pulled into what looked like a photo booth. A reporter with a too-large smile started firing some questions at me.

"Lady Miranda Compton, a Three from Ottaro, correct?"

"Yes, that's me."

"So what was the main focus of your makeover today?"

"Well, I picked out a lavender theme for my first day at the palace tomorrow. I have lavender perfume, lavender nails, lavender shoes, a lavender dress- pretty much lavender everything!" I joked.

The reporter's smile grew larger. "And why lavender? Anything special about lavender in particular?"

"Yes, actually. I chose lavender because it reminds me of home; my brother Wyatt and I have a few pots of lavender growing in pots at home, and the climate is very different here; I wanted a small reminder of home."

"So you're missing home? Feel homesick?"

I thought for a moment. "A little, maybe, but I'm starting to feel right at home in the palace. My three maids are so kind, and I think the palace is starting to grow on me."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it. Maybe you'll be staying at the palace longer than you think. Thank you for your time, Lady Miranda." She said this all rather fast, through her large smile.

"You're welcome," I said graciously back. The camera cut.

"Miranda?" Alyssa knocked on the door just as I opened it to exit the photo booth. She jumped back. "We're here to take you to your new room now. I hope you like it- I helped design it myself!" She bounced on the balls of her feet again in excitement.

"Well, if you designed it, then I'm sure I'll love it. I love what you guys did to me today. I've never felt so beautiful in my life." Alyssa grinned, and Heather and Lily gave shy grins, unable to hide their pleasure. Alyssa led the way down the palace halls. The carpets were rich and plush, with ornate paintings and detailing on the walls. I was quite sure I was in the most beautiful place in the world. It seemed to last forever and ever until Alyssa reached a wooden white door with a golden knob.

"Here's your room!" Alyssa announced. I reached for the doorknob when I heard movement behind me.

"Miranda?" It was Willow. "My room's right here- is that yours?" she asked, excitement creeping into yours. I grinned.

"Yes, it's mine. You're right next to me?" I asked gleefully. Alyssa looked from Willow's maids to Heather and Lily and back, seeming gleeful.

"Yes!" Willow laughed joyfully. I felt a small sense of relief. I would be next to someone I knew, someone I had a friendly dynamic with. I didn't know who would be on my right, though. That was still to come; I'd see the other girl later. Hopefully she would be nice. I turned the knob and stepped into my room.

Pale purple walls surrounded a bed with lilacs on the bedspread and a deep purple rug on the floor. I gasped. How could they have known I loved lavender? I turned to Alyssa, who was watching me eagerly. "This is amazing," I gushed. "How did you know I liked lavender?"

"I didn't," she said simply. "Fate, maybe? Pure luck?" I laughed and flopped onto the bed. I couldn't have asked for a better day. I had made a friend (and maybe three more), been transformed into the most beautiful I had ever felt, and I was scheduled to meet Prince Charles tomorrow. I felt amazing. I decided I wanted to try my hardest in the competition, if not for the prince, then for my maids and Willow. I was ready for the life of a royal.


	14. Chapter 14

_Chapter 14- Amy Smith_

"I still can't believe you got Selected, Amy. We're Sixes! This must be sheer luck!" my sister Shelby exclaimed. She was sixteen and just a bit too young to enter. "Can I meet the prince? Ooh, and his sister Callie? I bet we would be great friends!" she asked hopefully.

"Shelbs, I don't know if I'll be there long enough for you to meet the prince or the princess, but if I am, you can. But remember, he's off limits," I joked. She gave a small squeal of joy and ran off, probably imagining what she would say and how she would look. I turned away, thinking I would actually have to think about those things because I was packed up and ready to get into the car to Belcourt where I would board a plane to the palace in Angeles. It was a huge stroke of luck that I had been picked because I worked as a waitress, which wasn't a super high-paying job. The money would definitely help my family. And, all right, maybe I wanted to meet the prince too. I did have a bit more maturity than Shelby did, though, being three years older than her.

I picked up my drawstring bag full of things important to me; it was almost time to go. My pearl stud earrings from my Grammy in a box and a thick package of ponytail holders. My brother Andrew had bought them for me because he knew I'd go nuts if they weren't at the palace (which was probably the case). The bag had been a gift from my best friend, Maggie. I had become close with her after my childhood friend, Jenny, had moved away when I was four and I became distraught. I had slowly bonded with Maggie over the fact that we were both sixes, and we eventually took jobs as waitresses at the same restaurant.

The going-away party had already happened, and it felt good to know that my hometown was behind me. All of a sudden, it was time for the car to leave. "Wait," I said. I wasn't quite ready. My family was standing near the car, ready to say goodbye- just for now.

"We're so proud of you, Amy," my mom smiled proudly.

"Go have a little fun there for me, Amy. I love you." My dad said, trying to rein in his emotions. I gave him a big hug.

"I meant it when I said you weren't meant to be a waitress," Andrew said into my ear as he hugged me.

"Well, you might be looking at your future queen," I joked. "Bye, Andrew."

Shelby was next. "Remember your promise!" she hissed playfully into my ear.

"Of course! How could I forget?"

Jake, who at fourteen was trying to "man up", gave me a strong handshake and a one-armed hug. "Bye, sis."

"Bye, you," I offered in return. "I bet you'll be all grown up when I see you again."

"Maybe," he said, "but I'll be seeing you every Friday." He smiled devilishly. Darn. I had forgotten about the _Report_. Not good. I wasn't exactly the most outgoing person in the world, and having to talk about my relationship with the prince wasn't going to be easy.

"Will you bring me back something from the palace, Amy?" my eight-year old sister Kate asked. I, as usual, melted.

"Of course! How about a necklace? I'll ask the prince especially for you." She beamed and stood on her tiptoes to give me a hug. "Bye Kate," I told her. "You'll be seeing me sooner than you think. Maybe you'll have lost another tooth by then!" She smiled excitedly, showing a gap where she had lost a tooth four days ago.

I waved a last goodbye to all of them as I got in the car. I had to stay as long as I could, for my family. Maybe I would even see… no, I shouldn't get my hopes up. I hadn't seen Jack for a while, and I didn't know where he was stationed. The car started, and I marveled at the luxury the palace had given me just for this short ride. The capital of Calgary was quite close to the capital of Belcourt, and the car ride was quite short. Still, I had been provided with a cooler of drinks, candies, and even bags for car sickness. I rolled my eyes at that- who got that sick in a car? I decided not to eat anything- I had never been on an airplane, and I didn't know if I would be sick there or not. I did drink some water; it felt oddly enhanced, as though it were better than the water I drank from home. I stopped after a while; it didn't taste right. I was just putting the bottle down when the car stopped. No way. How could it have gone that fast? I brushed my white blouse and black pants clean; I didn't want my first impression on the other girls to be that I was a dirty Six. I wondered who I would be meeting at the Belcourt airport- the girl from Belcourt, obviously, but who else?

My question was answered when I saw the two girls in front of me. One was a caramel blonde with blue-gray eyes, and the other was- no way. No freaking way.

"Are you- Jenny?" I asked the girl with strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes I would know anywhere.

"Yeah, Jenny Andrews." I sucked in a breath. "And you are?"

She didn't remember me. Oh well, I had changed quite a bit.

"Amy Smith, from Calgary."

"Amy?" She seemed incredulous.

"Yes, it's me," I smiled.

"Oh my gosh, what are the odds of this happening?" Jenny exclaimed as we hugged. My childhood friend from when I was four being in the _Selection_ with me? Probably like a million to one!

"All aboard," the pilot of the plane announced.

"You wait and see what they've got in here, Amy, they've got everything! Movies, snacks, drinks, you name it, they've got it!" I giggled and we clambered aboard the plane, the blonde I had sort of skated over in the furor of meeting Jenny trailing behind. I bit my lip. I knew Jenny because we had been friends, but what about the other girls? Well, I didn't have to decide whether to say hello to her or not, because she said hello to me and Jenny.

"I'm Kyra," she said simply. "I'm guessing you're Jenny, and you're Amy, and you were childhood friends just reunited? That seems pretty impossibly lucky." She said this all very levelly and cooly. She seemed like a wallflower, someone who was always on the outside of a situation and very observant.

"Well, hello Kyra, and yes, you were right about pretty much all of that," Jenny smirked. "You seem like someone important to have around."

"Well, I'm used to seeing beneath the surface as a photographer," Kyra offered as we fell into airplane seats. That made her a Five, not much higher than myself as a Six.

"Um, have you guys been on an airplane before?" I asked Jenny and Kyra.

"No," said Jenny.

"Yes," said Kyra. "You can expect it to be bumpy at the start and end, but it's kind of fun otherwise, especially since we're alone and there's no little kids kicking your seat." She smiled shyly.

"Well, that's a-," The plane engines roared. Kyra was right- it was loud. I gripped my seat nervously and buckled myself in, Kyra and Jenny following suit. As soon as we were in the air, Jenny pulled down the movie screen and flipped through until she found _Lilo and Stitch_ , a children's classic. Kyra took this as her cue to pull a bag of microwave popcorn out of her bag- how did she know that she would need it?- and the kernels popped joyfully in the microwave as the previews played. Kyra opened the bag and sat between Jenny and I, and we popped airy popcorn into our mouths and watched the animation, forgetting where we were going for a little while and unknowingly bringing Kyra into Jenny and I's reunited friendship.


End file.
